Finding You Can Change
by Mustard Lady
Summary: Before his wedding begins, Prince Adam finds a few choice moments to himself and with Maurice, whom he's come to respect and love as a father, to reflect on how wondrously his life has been changed for the better! He is eternally grateful.


**Here is my new story! This was actually penned down as a one shot for silverscreenwriter13's Favorite Things Writing Challenge on her Tumblr blog antlersinallofmydecorating. I wanted to write one for Vlad, or Gaston, but to be honest, I couldn't really without just adding it to my other stories! Then this inspiration came when I saw one of the quotes again for the challenge!**

 **Hope you all enjoy this. Reviews are most welcome. Don't own BATB. It can be based off either Disney version, but mostly the live action one.**

* * *

Inside the gorgeous, marble floored porcelain ballroom, of the enormous castle that had been his since infancy, stood a tall, sturdy masculine figure grandly clad in a stunning sky blue with silvery white appliques that danced off in the sun rays through the windows. The morning's beautiful sunlight filtered in, borrowing from any source of outside light. The man's honey painted hair vividly coordinated with his royal outfit. But most of all, his fierce baby blue eyes glistened like stars, half from the sunlight coming in from the windows, and the other half was from the tears that shed down his very straight cheeks.

This ballroom was where every major life change had happened to him. It had been on his eleventh birthday, in this room during the festivities that his beloved mother had suddenly taken sick. This was the very room that Agathe the enchantress had tested and then cursed him in when he'd snubbed her so callously. But most precious of all, it was in this ballroom when he'd danced magically with Belle that they'd both realized there was more to their mutual relationship than just friendship! And now as he stood in here, today would be the best change of all: he and Belle were becoming husband and wife, and all the village was invited to attend and rejoice with them.

As he had gazed at his currently handsome appearance in the full length mirror a short while ago, Prince Adam's bosom had swirled a flood of sentimental emotions that threatened to consume him on this special day. Less than a month ago, if he had looked into the same mirror, it would not have been the dashing young prince that he would have seen, but an enormous, intimidating, furry beast! Adam closed his eyes and inhaled passionately, as he tried to take in that he was indeed a man again.

What if Belle had not come? What if she had never grown to see passed his frightening appearance, but had fled in terror? She could have easily escaped after he'd saved her from the wolves and just left him there to die. But she hadn't! She'd come to his aid and nursed him back to health. That had been the beginning of their unexpected friendship, after all the stubborn brushing off they'd given each other at first!

What if the villagers who had raided his castle had succeeded in their sabotage and destroyed their 'enemies' the furniture? His friends, his family would've been killed! _They would have been killed anyway, thanks to me,_ Adam thought painfully. What if he hadn't fought back with Gaston the hunter who had ruthlessly attacked him in a murderous, jealousy fed rage? Gaston actually had killed him! But the enchantress had restored him and his servants.

Adam remembered being shot, and how unbelievably excruciating the fire on his body had been. He remembered feeling more and more powerless to function, his limbs, everything feeling more and more feeble. But most of all and more important than anything else, he remembered every second of Belle being at his side, encouraging him, trying to comfort him, her fond smile, and the heartache in her beautiful face as his life had slipped from him, right in her arms! She was there, and that was all that had mattered in those last moments. He remembered it all…

" _You...you came back," Beast managed an endearing smile up at her despite that the cruel fact that he knew his body was dying by the second._

" _Of course I came back." Belle replied tearfully with a sad smile, holding his paw. "I'll never leave you again! Oh, this is all my fault."_

" _Maybe...maybe it's best this way." Beast panted, clasping her hand in one paw and reaching up with the other to stroke her face. "I'm afraid it's my turn to leave."_

" _Shh! No, no, don't talk like that. We're together now, it will be fine. You'll be all right." Belle reassured him with salty tears in her eyes, cradling his head in her arms._

" _At least...at least I got to see you...one last time." Beast whispered happily, his huge paw tenderly holding her small face. She clasped his paw in her hands and wept into his palm. Then his last breath had left his body. Belle sobbed painfully, her heart shattered. She leaned on him, hugging him hard, begging him to come back._

" _No! Please. Come back! Please don't leave me!" She cried out, laying her head over his heart. "I love you." She whispered, her broken tears spilling onto his lifeless chest…_

When Adam's beloved mother the queen had died from scarlet fever, and then he'd been brought up under the selfish, cold hand of his father the king, that innocent kindness that had once freely reigned his heart had been cruelly bottled up and locked away deep inside him, very much like a cursed family heirloom, hidden in the dark for no one to find. He'd become as self-absorbed, callous, and uncaring as his dead rival Gaston had been during his life. The only thing that had made them different was that while both had terrible fits of temper if they didn't get what they wanted, Adam did not have a violent streak in him to actually physically harm others! Nevertheless, Adam's cold shoulder to his family the household's dear servants and his anger taken out on them had been terribly uncalled for and so heartless to treat them so. All they'd ever repaid him with had been kindness, no matter what. And they had nearly died, all on his account of being unkind to the enchantress in disguise, Agathe.

"'Tis such a heavenly day for such a joyful celebration, isn't it?" An older, wiser, kind voice suddenly spoke up beside Adam.

"It is indeed!" Adam agreed wholeheartedly. "I don't think I've ever known a more beautiful morning!"

"I did...once." Maurice said wistfully, but Adam could still hear the joy in his voice. "The day my daughter was born."

"A day that marked heaven's history pages, I'm sure." Adam remarked fondly, his deep baritone voice bouncing off the floor.

"It was so wonderful, so like a dream, but very real all at once. It was seeing a miracle unfold before my very eyes." Maurice murmured.

"That's how the servants and I felt when the curse was broken and we were all restored." Adam agreed. He turned toward Maurice. "Sir...Maurice, my friends and I...we owe you and Belle our lives! If it hadn't been for either of you, we might never have met, and we wouldn't all be together today, celebrating together like this. I will always be eternally grateful."

Maurice gave a sad smile. "Thank _you,_ for accepting and loving my precious daughter, for all that she is. I have loved her with all my heart since before she was born. I've worried about her so much through her growing up years, and perhaps I overdid things in how much I tried to protect her by keeping her in the village. I am grateful to you, lad, for cherishing her as something precious and worth loving. You've done an old man's heart good."

Adam smiled warmly at the wiser man, whom he treated contemptibly when they'd first met. He would always burn with shame for how he'd acted at first sight. "You've given us so much, more than wither of you will ever know. You raised Belle with excellence and grace, Maurice. I see parts of you in her every day."

"I see parts of her mother in her every day." Maurice said tearfully. "Adam? Treasure your time with Belle. It is indeed most precious, and...you never know which moments will be your last. Make sure that you tell her often how much she means to you! And do your best to show it a little every day."

"I will!" Adam declared passionately. "Every day! She warms my heart more every day. Not all my riches could ever buy such a priceless treasure as Belle. I will love her, Sir, and treasure her with all my heart...always. That I can promise you!"

"I know you will, son." Maurice replied quietly. Son. Adam had never understood till now how secure and wondrous it felt like to be called that name. It filled him with a powerful sense of belonging that his aching heart had been void of for too many years!

* * *

Soon the guests were arriving and the servants were flowing to and fro in the castle, preparing for the big day. Adam warmly greeted his subjects who heartily congratulated him. "They're so forgiving." Adam sighed to Maurice. "After how I used to treat them, they are so willing to give me a second chance!"

"Well, you gave them a second chance, after they raided this place and nearly killed your servants!" Maurice added.

"I suppose I can't blame them for being frightened by my appearance. And many of them had loved ones restored to them, loved ones they didn't even know were forgotten."

"True." Maurice nodded.

"I can't change what I've done in the past." Adam sighed. "I know that. If I could, I would! I caused much hurt during my young reign to these innocent people. But what self-absorbed souls do not realize is how much they hurt not only those around them, but also themselves when that's all they live for."

"If only Gaston could have learned that, before he let his determination to be the one to have the best everything destroy him." Maurice said dismally. "Perhaps then he might have had a chance at redemption and turned his ways around, but he was driven by his greed and self-righteousness. It can be so devilishly misleading. It made a once impressive life end completely wasted, and ended sooner than it should have."

"That was the price for self-gratification. It wasn't self respect. It was obsession. Unfortunately, I was like him, before." Adam winced. "Thankfully, for me, someone gave me a chance to change, and opened my eyes to the truth.

'I wish my mother were alive to see this day. She would have adored Belle. That is one hurt that will remain with me till the end of my days.'" Adam began to tear up.

"Me too." Maurice said sympathetically. "You're right, my boy. Ahh, yes. The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it. It is all up to how we choose to let it effect us. I too wish Belle's mother was here today. She would've been proud beyond measure to look at our daughter and see the remarkable woman she has become, as I am. And she would've loved you too."

"Let's dedicate this special day to them, shall we?" Adam suggested solemnly.

"Oui." Maurice winced gratefully. "To the mothers."

"To the mothers." Adam nodded, misty-eyed. "God bless them."

* * *

As Maurice departed to fetch and spend a few choice moments with Belle, Lumiere, Cogsworth, Plumette, Cadenza and Garderobe, and Chip and Mrs. Potts came to Adam's side. "Master, it is nearly time." Cogsworth said, holding his pocket watch.

"Yes, Cogsworth." Adam nodded. He blew out a breath. "This is our day today, all of us! You all mean the world to me! I would be lost without you. And I vow from this day forward, to never take any of you for granted ever again."

"We know that, Master." Madame Garderobe gushed.

"Yes." Plumette grinned widely. "You've been so good to us."

"We are honored, to be such an important part of your special day, my prince." Lumiere bowed.

"We love you, Sir." Mrs. Potts said sweetly. "We always have."

"And I love each and every one of you." Adam said in a quaky voice. "I hope you know that! You're my family."

"And now Belle is going to be part of the family!" Chip announced giddily.

"That's right, Chip. She is." Adam murmured, gazing off into the distance.

* * *

Belle had never looked more radiantly beautiful to Adam than she did as she walked toward him on Maurice's arm, in her gorgeous bridal gown. Once their eyes met, they were hardly ever apart. As they danced together in the sunlight of the ballroom with their friends and family around them, they both reflected on how amazing their journey together had been. Their relationship had not started off as a typical fairy tale they would read about in a book from the library! Far from it. It had been at first begrudging, then awkward but kind, bittersweet and strange, Adam finding that he _could_ change for the good, both he and Belle learning that they had been wrong about each other in their first impressions. Now, their future and hearts together were ever as before and ever just as certain as the sun rising in the east.

Adam was so taken in, gazing at Belle's glowing beauty as she twirled on the end of his arm, that it had taken him a moment to realize that she was grinning most mischievously. "What? What is it?" Adam asked curiously.

"How would you feel about growing a beard?" Belle teased.

"Aha, ha." Adam chuckled deeply. _"Gggrr!"_ He playfully growled in protest. Belle giggled as he kissed her hand. They danced flawlessly into their new life together in a tale as old as time and a song as old as rhyme!

* * *

 **If you enjoyed Dan Stevens as Beast, you should watch him as Charles Dickens in The Man Who Invented Christmas!**


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